Imma back!

Hey, everyone! I hope you missed me, you probably didn't, but I hope you did! I've come back from the dead to offer another chapter to my story. I hope I've still got your interest!

Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare owns it. She owns it all!


"So," Jace said with his hand curled around his backpack strap. "What's the plan for today?"

Clary wrinkled her eyebrows at him with a good hearted grin as she flipped her hair away from her face and realigned the strap of her messenger bag to her other shoulder. The wind playing tricks on Jace eyes as her hair danced with flames. "And why do you assume there are plans for today?"

Jace tossed his head back with a laugh. "If there's one thing I know about you, Clary Morgenstern, it's that you are always planning and doing something. You never seem to take a breath."

"You never know when it might be your last." Clary shrugged as she walked onward with a smile on her face, her plump lips curled upward. Jace never really understood the term "her eyes danced with the possibilities of mischief" before he met Clary. But her green orbs always seemed to be churning with those possibilities. And it excited him; made his soul sing and the blood rush to his heart. "I want to look back on the moments of my life and smile at all the things I've accomplished and done. I don't ever want to regret a thing and I know if I sat around all day changing absolutely nothing I would regret it for the rest of my life." She turned to Jace swiftly, her head tilted up to look at him and for a moment he actually thought she might kiss him her expression was so soft. "I plan to make my life a lasting one; even if I'm not around to remember it."


How many teenagers our age thought like that?

I didn't know any that was for sure. All of my friends were too busy trying to find there next high and next lay that they never really stopped to think of the impact they wanted to have. They never stopped to think of the impression they wanted make; the legacy they wanted to leave behind.

But Clary did.

She wanted to look back on her life and remember the changes she made; the lives she altered. She wanted to be happy with the life she lived and the mistakes she made.

I didn't think that way. No one did.

The world is too wrapped up in itself to think of others, Clary had told me once, but if you take even one step in the right direction, be it helping someone against a bully or saying a compliment to a stranger, others would follow in your footsteps.

I remember looking at her and repeating that sentence so many times in my head that it etched itself right into my brain forever. So that I could repeat it over and over and over again. Because it was true.

The world is made up of more followers than leaders. And it was the leader's job to show the world what to do.

Clary was a leader; a natural born leader.

I was a natural born follower.

But she made me a leader.

It gave me faith that more people could be made into leaders too.


In that moment, Jace thought of the things he wanted to accomplish, the mark he wanted to leave behind.

Because if he died tomorrow he didn't like the way he would remember the way he lived. He'd pushed everyone he loved away for the fame and pleasure of his peers, he was a puppet for a town full of washed-up football players and wrinkled prom queens, and he'd turned his back on the boy he'd grown with; his best friend.

Clary watched Jace with a thoughtful expression, he wondered if she was a mind reader. If she could see the way he analyzed everything she said as if she were a Goddess from the Heavens; an angel sent down to be his salvation. She certainly looked like it even in the wrinkled jeans, scoffed boots and green flannel, her hair falling in twists and turns down her back. The shirt she wore made her eyes brighter and she looked like there was an actual light inside of her seeping through her eyes like when you put your hand over the top of a shining flashlight.

He didn't say anything as he turned to go toward his A.P English class, the last class of the day, only leaving her with a nod and not paying attention to the curious glances he received from his fellow classmates.

"Jace," He stopped instantly when she spoke his name, no louder than if she were standing next to him before he turned and gasp. Clary stood right in front of him, her small paint splattered hand gently placed on his chest. He could almost feel her touch burning through his black t-shirt. "I have somewhere that I was going to go to today. You're more than welcome to come." Jace nodded again with wide eyes as he placed a hand over the one that lay oh-so-delicately upon his chest. Clary's cheeks blossomed into a soft pink giving her a rosy appearance and slowly took her hand out from under his. "Could you pick me up?"

"Of course." Jace answered far too quickly and excited for her not to guess that he had a crush on her.

But Clary gave no indication that she suspected any such thing as she glanced down at her twisting fingers as if she was nervous. "See you at 7 then."

Jace gave her a smirk feeling an unusual confidence before he winked. "Sharp."

Clary seemed to stare at him in a daze before blinking quickly and shaking her head with a frown; she finished with a nod and soft smile. She turned her back to him and walked with sure steps toward her room just as he moved to turn around himself. "Oh and Jace," He stopped again and noticed that the crowd seemed to stop too. Had they been listening to the whole conversation they had just shared? Why couldn't he seem to notice the rest of the world when Clary had him in locked in her green gaze? "You better not be late. The consequences could be fatal."

Jace laughed as Clary gave a big grin and slipped into her classroom.


Jace sank gracefully into his seat as he glanced up at the clock already counting down the hours. He half wondered if he should just skip this class all together. But knew there would be no point seeing as Clary wouldn't be skipping herself and she would frown upon the idea of him skipping all together.

Jace blinked a moment before releasing a deep breath and sinking in his seat, his hand tugged greedily on his blonde curls and he shook his head. When had he become this whipped? To a girl who he wasn't even sleeping with let alone dating; the whole situation was absolutely ridiculous and when everyone found out the jokes would never end.

He expected himself to wince at the idea of everyone calling him whipped, of pointing fingers, and laughing at what such a small redhead had managed to do to him. But he didn't care. Not even a little.

Which scared him.

Though the thought of actually dating Clary, both horrifying and exhilarating, was enough to run all the bad, mediocre thoughts out of his mind all together.

Another thing that scared him.

Even more.

"Hey," Jace whipped his head around as Jordan took his seat behind him; his brown hair was flipped up in its usual curl around his forehead. When Jace had first met his kind-hearted friend he would have thought Jordan was a tourist; had he run into him on the street. He looked like a boy right out of a California catalog. He looked like he should have been carrying around a surfboard instead of a football; he just had that image right down to the shark tooth he wore around his neck that his mother had gotten him on her business trip to California. Ironic. "I saw what you did today."

Jace furrowed his eyebrows as more of his classmates shuffled through the door, he didn't miss the glances they kept throwing his way. "I don't know what I did but whatever it is I'm sure I'm not sorry." Jordan flashed him a smile before laughing and Jace felt himself blinked in surprise at how much he missed hearing Jordan laugh. He hadn't seen his friend since his incident in the hallway.

Before he'd met Clary.

"I'm talking about what you did for Anna, asshole." Jordan spoke through a smile making the insult even nicer than it sounded. "That would have been one nasty fall."

"You saved her from a pretty nasty fall." Clary spoke nonchalantly as if the whole thing weren't such a big deal as everyone made it. And, for some reason, that felt like a breath of fresh air. "And a lot of humiliation."

Jace smiled as he thought back to Clary with her hair falling from its tight bun showing her concern, showing that she'd run after him; the way her eyes lit up at him as she explained how strongly she felt. Her lips the way they curled around each word spoken. Jace knew there was no hope for himself, Clary had him wrapped around her little finger and there was nothing he wanted to do about it.

"At first, helping her felt great but then I felt the eyes and the stares and the whispers. The rumors just waiting to fly and the thought of all those things made me run. I'm scared, Clary. I'm terrified to step out and be a new person; I'm too afraid to change. I don't have enough courage."

"'I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.' I don't think your fear makes you weak, Jace Herondale. I think your fear makes you human. I think you have the potential to be one of the bravest boys I know."

"Yeah," Jace said as he continued to smile. "It would have been."

"But she didn't fall," Jordan tilted his head down as Jace's eyes seemed to focus on the world again. "Because you helped her." His friend leaned back and a smirk, Jace knew all too well since he'd invented it, rested on Jordan's tanned face. "Now last I checked Jonathon Christopher Herondale just looked out for himself." He put a hand to his chin. "So you couldn't have been the mayor's son and Jace the popular boy would have simply merged with the crowd of onlookers, so it can't be him either. Now, Jace the football player would have been right up there and apart of the action with the rest of his fuddrucker, born-to-be-nasty band of miscreants. So it couldn't be him either."

"Fuddrucker?" Jace made a face. "Did you just make that word up?"

Jordan ignored him as he raised an eyebrow in good humor at him and he leaned forward on his elbows toward Jace's face as if sharing a secret with him. "So who's this new guy? And how long is he staying around? Because I like him."

Jace laughed before shaking his head and looking up at his friend. "You like him? Because I don't think he bats for that team. Though I can see why you're so enraptured with him from what I hear he is quite the looker, some might even say he puts Adonis to shame."

Jordan narrowed his eyes and punched Jace on the shoulder making him yelp and bring his arm toward his body to protect it with a smirk. "Don't let it go to your head, pretty boy." Jordan sat back with his arms crossed. "And it would be an honor for you if I ever had those type of feelings."

"It's already an honor to have you as my friend." Jace shrugged though he felt vulnerable as he spoke the words toward Jordon his, once upon a time, only friend. He was ashamed to say he was even embarrassed as he tried to be as nonchalant as possible.

"Was that. . ." Jordan trailed off in dramatic pause as he sat higher in his seat making quite the spectacle out of them both. "Was that actually a compliment I heard, Mr. Herondale?" Jordan paused again as Jace narrowed his eyes at him. "Are we. . .are we having a bonding moment? Because I didn't bring any tissues and I'm all out of estrogen and chocolate."

Jace felt the bite of his own words that day in the hallway as he winced and nodded. "Okay, I deserved that one." Though the words felt like a punch to his gut.

Jordan leaned forward and gave him a gentler punch on the shoulder, a soft smile gracing his face. "Nah, it's an honor being your friend too." He scrunched his eyebrows up at Jace, his brown eyes dancing with intrigue. "But really how long is this new you staying around for?"

"For good." Jace shrugged with another smile, his teeth making an appearance as they peaked through his lips.

"Why the sudden change?"

Jace frowned and blinked. He had no idea how to word it; no idea how to explain the feelings he had gone through the last two weeks. No idea how to explain Clary because she was unexplainable. It was like trying to descript a color to a blind person, it was simply impossible. "I can show you better than I can tell you. I'll pick you up at around 7:30 and you'll see for yourself."

Jordan frowned a moment but never questioned him as he nodded and as if on queue, Mrs. Jackson, stepped into the room. She was a younger woman, no stranger to the gym, and pretty. Not as pretty as Clary was but she was nice to look at. Her brown hair was tidy and piled on her head and not a piece of clothing was out of place. Not like Clary's ratted, old, paint spattered clothing and the diamond necklace around the elder woman's neck didn't seem to hold as much charm as the cluster of things hanging around Clary's.

She smiled pleasantly as she faced forward, her trimmed hands running down the sides of her tight pencil skirt. "Good afternoon, I trust everyone has had a good day so far." She didn't let anyone answer before she clapped her hands together and leaned against the front of her desk. "Now, let's get right to it. I trust you all had finished your final reading on The Great Gatsby last night."

Jace all but groaned as he slammed his head down on his desktop. He'd totally forgotten about his final reading and knowing Mrs. Jackson she was sure to give them a not-so-surprising POP quiz. He'd been so wrapped up in himself and Clary he'd begun to think less of his schoolwork which would really jeopardize his spot on the football team. He still needed a nice scholarship to get as far from this town as possible.

Maybe.

He was a little at war with himself now. He had wanted out of this sorry-excuse-of-a-town because it was so dull and boring but now everything seemed to be enriched in color and bathed in excitement. And he was certain he knew who was the cause of it all. But saying her name would make her more important than she already was to him so he didn't speak her name. That didn't mean the sway of her hips and the way her hair danced didn't enter his mind.

". . .and maybe we could discuss some key points on the novel before our quiz." Mrs. Jackson said her wedding ring shining under the fluorescent lights. Jace blinked as he watched her walk toward the white board and uncap a black marker."Can anyone tell me a symbolic occurrence that took place in The Great Gatsby?"

Jace wondered silently if he had enough time to quickly skim the rest of the chapters without getting caught. Hoping Mrs. Jackson wouldn't catch him Jace reached for his backpack before stopping short when a paper landed on his desk. Frowning he unfolded it slowly to see a page full of chicken scratched handwriting. A mess of words that described in great detail the chapters he had missed and gave an interesting overview. He smiled before slightly turning to Jordan who gave him a quick wink and turned his attention back to Mrs. Jackson.

"No one came to Gatsby's funeral except for Nick."

Jace stopped moving as he looked up at Clark Masters, who was putting his hand back on his desk. His head turned down as if in shame, probably to hide the pimples he wore like a coat and the braces that didn't seem to be coming off anytime soon even though they were in there senior year of high school.

Mrs. Jackson nodded excitedly as she scribbled it in cursive on the board quickly. "And can anyone tell me why this specific moment is important."

"Because throughout the novel you see Gatsby always having these extravagant parties and surrounding himself with people but none of those people, at the end of the day, are his actual friends. None that care enough to mourn his death except for Nick." Theresa Glass answered smoothly before straightening her already straight plaid shirt/sweater vest combo. Her hair tied tight in a firm bun. "It shows that money can't buy you happiness or friendship no matter what the illusion is."

"Very good!" Mrs. Jackson replied as she almost clapped her hands with joy. "Anyone else?"

Jace tossed his head back with a laugh. "If there's one thing I know about you, Clary Morgenstern, it's that you are always planning and doing something. You never seem to take a breath."

"You never know when it might be your last. I want to look back on the moments of my life and smile at all the things I've accomplished and done. I don't ever want to regret a thing and I know if I sat around all day changing absolutely nothing I would regret it for the rest of my life. I plan to make my life a lasting one; even if I'm not around to remember it."

Jace was Gatsby.

Or maybe that's who he used to be.


Jace took a breath and opened his eyes slowly as if afraid she would disappear. But she didn't, she simply smiled that smile that he knew was the reason his heart seemed to beat so fast, her too big green eyes dancing with mischief and wisdom as she tried to raise an eyebrow and failed.

Jace laughed as he opened the door for her and let her settle into the passenger seat of his suddenly unimportant car. When he seated himself behind the front wheel she shot him a good-fellow glare. Her plump lips pursing to the side of her face and her eyes sparkling brighter; they seemed to shine like actual gems and he wondered absentmindedly if he would ever get used to watching them gleam.

"Are you making fun of the fact that I can't raise an eyebrow?" She said defiantly her little arms crossing over her chest. "Because I'll have you know it's not that easy."

"I suppose that's true," Jace said as he turned his car on with a purr. "Although I wouldn't know much about difficulty," He turned with a smirk and watched as she rolled her eyes and waited for his arrogant comment. "Seeing as I'm perfect in just about everything."

"Just about?" Clary said with wide eyes, her hair moving over her shoulder as she leaned closer to him; her hand so close to his on the gearshift. He felt, more than saw, his fingers twitch from where the rested so close and so far from hers.

He swallowed thickly for a moment. "Well, I'm certainly not as charming as I once thought."

"And how is that?" She leaned closer and he thought his heart might leap from his chest from the close proximity of where she now sat. If she didn't move away from him with her sweet scent he was not going to be the blame of the actions that followed. He wouldn't be able to control himself soon. He could almost feel the silkiness of her curls and the press of her nose on his own. The way he could so easily shape their lips together; the way their bodies would fit together so perfectly.

"Well, I haven't made you fall for me." He tried to brush off the comment like it was a joke but his laugh was hoarse and half-hearted. "So, I must not have quite perfected that yet."

There was a moment of silence as Jace mentally beat himself up in his mind for being so stupid and dumb. Why would he say a thing like that to her? Why couldn't he control himself around her? Why did she always have him babbling like a damn fool?

"Trust me, Jace Herondale, your charm doesn't need any work." Her breath tickled his ear, though he was sure she wasn't close enough to make the hairs around his neck stand on end. And yet, the goose bumps rose without any permission on his part. And by God, did he love the way her lips shaped his name. "Besides, you don't want someone like me falling for you anyway."

Jace blinked as he turned to her quickly. Not even noticing until now that he had been driving the whole time; his hands blindly leading him when his mind and heart were too distracted. The trees whizzed by them as he looked at her a moment. Her curls were shining under the passing streetlights and in those brief moments, where the light enveloped her in its heavenly glow and made her eyes twinkle and her hair burn, he thought of how much of an angel she truly did look. Her eyes were sad and her pouty lips turned down in a frown; a frown that shouldn't have been there.

He pulled over and turned to her as she stared forward. How could she say something like that? That she was someone he wouldn't want to fall for? And what did she mean "like me"?

He wouldn't mention to her either that he was already starting to fall for her; a fall that was too strong to break and too fast to stop.

"Someone like you?" Jace said with a shake of his head. "You mean someone kind and caring and giving?" He turned to her with parted lips and a confused expression as she smiled softly and shook her own head. "Someone so beautiful that half the time I'm not really sure if they're real or not." His hand reached out to touch her cheek as her eyes grew wide. "A person like that? Because that sounds like one hell of a person to me."

Her curls bounced around her head and softened her features, her head turned toward the front of the windshield making his hand drop from the warmth of her cheek. Jace tried to ignore how cold his palm felt now that he wasn't touching her. She was like another creature all together; one too beautiful to capture, one that had to be earned. And did Jace want to earn all of her; he had never seen anything or anyone so beautiful.

"No," She seemed to talk so softly and finally that Jace wondered if she would even add anything to the cryptic way she spoke. Before she closed her eyes and turned to look at him; opening her eyes like two fully charged flashlights drowning in water. He wanted to reach across the center console and stroke her cheek again and make sure the tears that teetered on the edges of her eyelashes never fell. But the way she was staring at him made him freeze and he couldn't move even if he wanted too. "I mean someone broken, Jace. Too broken to be fixed."

"There's nothing wrong with being broken—"

"I never said there was." She said through soft lips and even though she never rose her voice to cut him off he stopped speaking immediately when she started too. Because he knew whatever she had to say was going to be important. "But when you're broken, like I am, people have a tendency to want to fix you. And I can't be fixed." A tear fell down her cheek slowly and silently not a sob left her lips as she wetted her lashes with salt water.

"Oh, Clary. . ." Jace said in a rushed whisper as his hand moved on its own accord and wiped the tear trail that shined like a beacon on her unblemished cheek; his calloused thumb rubbing her skin slowly making her lean into his palm and smile.

"And when that happens you end up breaking more people than you mean to, the same people who want to fix you." Even though her words were grave the sad smile never left her face; the tears barely a glimmer now. "I'm destruction."

Jace never got to asked her anything more on the subject when Jordan slipped into the backseat of his still running vehicle. "Dude, if I knew you would be waiting at the very end of the driveway I wouldn't have stayed in my room. You're so lucky my dad called me into the living room or I never would have seen your headlights. . ."

Jordan trialed off into silence as Jace slowly dropped his hand from Clary's cheek. His best friend could obviously feel the moment he had interrupted but couldn't find a way to avoid the now awkward situation. That was until Clary turned in her seat with a smile beaming on her face; if Jace hadn't watched the tear that fell or heard the weak tone she spoke in, he never would have guessed she had cried at all.

"Hello, Jordan Kyle. I'm Clary and it's a pleasure to meet you. Jace talks about you all the time." Her green eyes engaged Jordan in a heart-warming and equal way; her hand moving outward to reach for his and Jace remembered a time not too long ago that she had done the exact same thing to him. He remembered how he couldn't believe she was staring at him as if she were an equal. She was the Outcast, after all, and he was the Mayor's Son. Every teenage girl's wet dream, all expect for one that is; one in the shape of an infuriatingly, confusing redhead.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss. Morgenstern, and might I say how ravishing you look tonight." Jordan said with a charming smirk as Clary laughed; her head tossed back as the shaggy hair teen placed a mocking kiss to her hand.

"Whoa there, Prince Charming," Jace said as he pulled away from the curb and charged down the street. "You don't want to make her pass out from all your charisma."

"Sorry, I was trying to stay above "friendly" but below "Jace Herondale" on the charm meter. Was it too much?" The comment had Jace glaring at his friend in the mirror as Clary laughed harder than before; her small hands pulled to her chest as her nose scrunched from the pain in her abdomen.

The sound of her laughter made butterflies erupt in Jace's stomach and made his hands clammy. The way her hair spread like fire and her mouth parted so sweetly. Jordan unable to help himself joined in with Clary as she fanned herself. "Har de har har." Jace said sarcastically but the statement lost most of its harsh tone as he let out a few chuckles himself. "Have you both had your fun now?"

"Oh no," Clary shook her head her hair slapping the sides of her face as she did. "This is only the beginning. Just think of all the fun we're going to have with you being the butt of every joke."'

Jordan let out a roar of laughter from the back as he placed his hands on the sides of the two front seats and pushed his face between them. "I like this girl already. You really do have to bring her around more often." He leaned back and folded his arms, his hair curling around the top of the baseball cap he wore. "God only knows someone's got to keep you on your toes."

Clary giggled again as Jace turned to look at her with a smile. If he had it his way Clary would be around all the time, he'd wake up beside her every morning and lay down beside her every night. They'd cuddle up for movie nights and she'd attend every social gathering he had to for his father's business campaign. She'd be with him all the time if he had his way. But he didn't seem to be getting his way a lot recently. And having Clary in such a way seemed to be more of a dream than a possibility.

"I plan to." Jace said as Clary stared at him a moment before smiling. She bit her lip nervously looking up at him through lush, red eyelashes and Jace would have given anything to kiss her then. Would have given up anything in the world just so he could kiss her once, to see just how soft her pink velvet lips were and to see if they felt like the inside of a rose petal like he seemed to think they would. He wanted to see if she would be able to keep her control with him or if his touch could break her. Like everything about her seemed to break him.

Clary said nothing and Jordan didn't utter a word either. Silence filled the car other than Clary's soft spoken directions and when her hand curled around his on the gear shift Jace thought he might be dreaming the moment. The way her small palm hooked around his own and the way their fingers seemed to know where to entwine, Jace felt the air leave his chest and his arm started to tingle as if he had laid on the limb for too long and was feeling the blood rushing back. She didn't say a word over the radio as it played the oldies and none of it felt forced or awkward.

It was just silence; comfortable silence.


Jace frowned as he pulled up to the dark church pulling around and parking the car in the mildly filled lot and leaping over the hood to open Clary's door. They had drifted into the harsher part of town; where less than half of the population of his classmates lived, far past the other side of the rail road tracks. This was the side where poverty thrived.

This was the side his father never seemed to care much about.

Clary pulled the back door open with a hard tug and ushered both boys in before slowly closing the large oak wood and locking it behind her. She seemed to danced around them as she lead the confused pair forward toward the light at the end of the hallway. Jace realized not at one point did he feel scared or uncertain. He trusted Clary more than he had trusted anyone. He followed her small head that glowed like a torch from the oncoming light and Jace could hear the noise of pots and pans crashing together. He heard the sound of laughter and conversation as Clary pushed through the swinging door.

"Are my eyes deceiving me? Or is that Clary I see!" A rather rotund man with a bristling mustache called over the steam of the blisteringly hot stove. Jace watched the smile grow on her face as she charged forward and he grabbed her like a child, his arms holding her small body above the ground so that she could wrap her arms around his burly neck. He groaned as he set her down which Jace knew was exaggerated. Clary weighed close to nothing soaking wet. "Last I saw you I could have thrown you up in the air no problem." That was probably true. "Now I can hardly pick you up," That was probably a lie. "Have you gotten larger since then?"

Clary gave a laugh. "I can only hope." The elder man laughed as she wrapped her hands around him again. "I missed you Uncle Sammy."

Sammy let his smile drop for a moment as he ran his hands through her curly mess of hair. "Yeah," He said sweetly as he bent down to kiss the top of her head. "I missed you too, kiddo." He narrowed his eyes playfully as she pulled back. "But that does not mean that you can just show up late whenever you want."

The statement made Clary laugh as she pointed behind. "Don't worry I brought 2 more workers as tribute to your wrath." She smiled as she motioned for the two boys to come closer. "This is Jordan Kyle and Jace Herondale."

Jordan leaped forward to shake the older man's hand earnestly as he gave a nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir."

Sammy smiled. "Likewise, Mr. Kyle." He turned to Jace slowly. His eye's seemed to be sizing the boy up with more hostility than he had with Jordan. "So, you're the Mayor's son?" He said it as a question but it was more a hard statement.

Jace never dropped eye contact as he nodded. "Some might call me that."

Sammy raised an eyebrow. "What else do they call you?"

"Besides stunningly attractive?" Jace said with a smile, the charm he spoke in seeped into the air making Jordan shake his head with a smile and caused Clary to giggle. "Some might call me awesome, Clary's friend, or handsome ." He put his hand forward. "But you may call me Jace."

There was a moment of complete silence before Uncle Sammy bellowed with large full bellied laughs; Jace thought if Santa was a real man he would have laughed a similar way. He grabbed onto Jace's hand and shook it with a firm grip even as his body bent with laughter. "I like this one, Clary." Sammy slammed a hand onto his back as Jace smiled up at him. "Make sure he comes by more."

Clary looked right at Jace as Sammy began guiding Jordan toward the back of the kitchen. Their eyes seemed to mend together as if Jace could almost see the glowing halo of her soul. "I plan to."

Jace couldn't help the large smile that spread on his face as she grabbed his hand and led him after Sammy and Jordan.

"Jordan you'll be in charge of salad, Jace you'll have chicken, Clary will be desserts, Alec you're on vegetables, Isabelle has drinks, and Simon has napkins." Sammy said as Jace watched the Lightwood's blink in confusion over his presence in the room. The room filled with an undisguised tension though Sammy took no note of it.

Clary had told him earlier that they would be joining, though Jace could have already guessed by the way Clary had sat protectively beside Alec. The way her hand had curled around his shoulder, her nails digging in. The way Isabelle looked at her was a respect Jace had never seen before as they had hugged around the lunch table, earlier that day, before she had walking off with Simon. The way Alec had kissed Clary's forehead and ran a quick hand through her hair before wandering off to his classroom too.

The way Jace had felt the jealously of Alec having his hands on Clary; wishing that moment could have been with him, with his lips, and his hands.

He nodded a head told Alec who narrowed his eyes in suspicion before it leveled out completely and he nodded back. They might have been cordial at lunch that didn't mean that the Lightwoods were overjoyed at the sight of Jace being everywhere they went. The way Clary looked at them with a slight smile and all too wise eyes made Jace just a tad suspicious himself before she danced forward as if she were a fairy running through the forest, as if she were waltzing to music none of them could hear. She hugged Isabelle close as she whispered in her ear softly watching the dark haired girl nod.

Jace had never seen Izzy so tame. She had always been a little too wild for a child her age, too reckless and without any abandon. That was what drew him to Isabelle so much but the way her long arms twined around the small girl spoke more than just friendship. It spoke of heart break and sadness. Things passing between them that he didn't understand.

She kissed Simon, or rat boy as Jace knew him as, on the cheek lightly as he smiled sadly down at her. Before he pulled her into his arms with a quick tug; squeezing her so softly as if he was sure he would break her if his arms pulled too hard, his glasses almost falling completely off his face. She grinned before walking with sure steps toward Alec, who grinned widely his arms spread like wings as she charged toward him and hugged him close to her. She seemed to be saying something Jace couldn't see because Alec nodded his head. His blue eyes always seemed to have a hollow look in them as he regarded her with an even more vulnerable expression. Jace wondered why they all seemed to look so forlorn. Alec pressed his lips to her forehead before he put a palm against her cheek nodding.

"Oh and Maia we'll be there to back you up on desserts, Clary." Sammy said with a proud smile as a dark skinned beauty walked through the door. Her curls held back in two braids and a t-shirt with a Call of Duty quote on it; her eyelashes were lush and curled up by themselves. Not an ounce of make-up lay on her skin and Jace had to admit she was very pretty. Jordan seemed to notice it too because he stopped mid-hand shake with Alec already having forced Isabelle into a friendly hug making her smile and a quick handshake with Simon.

"It's great to see you again, Clary." Maia said through pearly white teeth. She was already walking forward bringing her arms around the small redhead who also had a smile on her face. Maia spoke with a fair amount of familiarity toward Clary which puzzled him.

Clary's emerald eyes shined as Maia pulled back, her smile seemed to light up the whole room as Jace watched her entranced. "It's wonderful to see you again, Maia. It's been way too long." She punched her friend lightly on the shoulder. "Stop being such a stranger."

Maia laughed and made a move to rub her shoulder though Jace was sure Clary had done no damage at all. "Alright put the gun show away, Rambo."

Clary grinned and turned with a wide swing of her arm. "Maia, I'd like to introduce you to the Lightwoods, Alec and Isabelle," Isabelle gave a weak wave but friendly smile. Jace moved his gaze to Alec and was taken aback to find the boy's icy gaze on him. His blue eyes shoved no hostility and too much intrigue as if he had been studying Jace before he turned toward Maia with a large smile and wave. "This is one of my best friends, Simon Lewis," Rat boy waved too enthusiastically almost making Jace snort. "Jace Herondale—"

"What's the Mayor's son doing in this neck of the woods?" Maia said with a harsh tilt of her head. "Getting a little bored of fine china and table manners?"

"On the contrary, I can't remember the last time I actually ate on anything that wasn't a paper plate and my lack of table manners might surprise you." Jace finished with a smirk as Maia stared at him a little confusion before Sammy put a hand to her shoulder.

"Nah, Jace is cool." Uncle Sammy gave the boy a wink as Jace smiled at him.

Maia seemed to raise an eyebrow and give him a head to toe glance. Jace wasn't unused to being checked out by beautiful women but he felt saying such a thing might put him further in the dog house with Maia. "We'll see about that."

Clary watched the exchange with a blank face; her eyes seemed to drink in every emotion and hand movement. Nothing escaped her observation as she smirked at Jace with a nod as if to tell him he was in the clear. A weight lifted from his shoulders at that one glance. "And this," Clary spoke with a smile. "Is—"

"Jordan Kyle." His friend leaped forward and immediately brought her hand to his mouth before Maia could even register what was happening. Clary cupped a hand around her mouth as if to contain her laughter but some leaked through from Maia's bewildered expression. "Do you believe in love at first sight?" He said through grinning lips. "Or should I walk past again?"

Maia threw her head back and laughed as everyone seemed to follow. "I think the really question is: does that line actually work?"

Jordan shrugged as he grinned at her. "It got you to laugh. So I count it as working."

Maia raised her eyebrows before shaking her head. "It's gonna take a lot more than that, Slick, before I melt to your charm."

"So you do want me to walk by again?"

Clary couldn't control the laugh that escaped her closed mouth as Maia bit her lip to keep her smile at bay. All could Jace could do was fold his arms and watch as Jordan worked his lovable charm; he would have her by the end of the day for sure.

Maia moved around him to grab one of the many aprons hanging on the wall before addressing Jordan. "I think I'll just save us both the trouble and walk away."

"That will just make me want to chase you." Jordan smiled his teeth gleaming and his brown eyes seeming to twinkle. "And I don't give up easily."

"Good because I don't give in easily." Maia said as she walked through the door; the Lightwoods chuckling after her, and Simon keeping up close to Isabelle. Clary handed Jordan and Jace an apron as the door closed.

Jordan watched the swinging door with puppy dog eyes before turning to Jace and Clary who stood side-by-side glancing at each other with smirks on their mouths. "I think I'm in love."

Clary laughed as she shook her head before putting a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Come on, lover boy. Your romancing will have to be put on hold so we can pass out some free food." She pushed Jordan toward the still swinging door as she turned to look over her shoulder. Her curls fell over her neck and tumbled down her back looking like dripping blood. "You ready, Wonderboy?"

Jace nodded slowly putting the apron around his head and tying it as he walked toward her. "Ready, Pixie."


She had brought him to a Soup Kitchen. This is what Clary Morgenstern did in her spare time. He didn't know why it surprised him. Maybe it was the thought that she just kept getting better and better every time he met her. Maybe it was the fact that she might actually be an angel because at this point it wouldn't surprise him at all.

He worked in harmony beside Alec and Isabelle as he placed a chicken breast on the tray before passing it down. He watched Clary smile and make idle chatter with each person, who seemed to know her, as she placed a piece of pie on each tray. Isabelle smiled at each passerby as did Alec, they seemed so comfortable and at ease. But Jace couldn't help but feel out of his element as he worked with robotic motions, placing a piece of chicken and passing it down and repeat.

Clary's eye dug into him. He could almost feel them, like two big green beckons of light, and he wondered silently if she was disappointed in his lack of excitement for what he was doing. He had to force himself to raise his gaze and what he saw made Jace stop. An elderly women, who smiled at him sweetly, stood with a hunched back in front of him. Her teeth were missing some and her hair looked as if it hadn't been washed or properly brushed since World War II. But her eyes were a deep purple shimmering in the fluorescent lights overhead as she watched him with a certain pride in her eyes.

He followed her down the line as Clary uncertainly handed her the heavy tray. One hand clutched her cane tight while the other tried to balance the tray on her frail hand which shook violently from the weight. For some reason this woman reminded him of Clary. Of the way, she looked so fragile but managed to be the stronger than even the fittest man alive.

"Can you handle this a moment?" Jace directed the question at Alec who he gave no time to reply as he pushed away from the well established line walking toward the elderly woman. Clary seemed to be trying to encourage her to let her carry the tray but the elderly woman was refusing determined to carry it herself. Another thing that reminded him of a small redhead.

Clary's face formed a grimace as she pleaded with the elder woman to let her help as Jace stepped forward. "Hello, Ma'am." He gave a polite nod as the elder woman smiled up at him. "I was just standing over there," He moved his hand in the direction of the Lightwood siblings whose eyes were digging into his back. He could almost feel the icy chill of Alec's blue orbs and the curiosity of Isabelle's brown ones. And a warmth that could only come from Clary's green eyes settled right over his heart. "And I couldn't help but notice you standing here." He smiled putting as much charm as he could behind each word. "My mother always told me to never leave a beautiful damsel and to assist in any way I can." He reached out and swiped the tray before she had time to reconsider.

"Well, I've never met such a sweet, handsome boy before." The elder woman said with a missing smile and a dazed expression.

"He can really surprise you."

Jace turned the smirk falling from his face. Clary stared at him with a blank expression, her eyes widen as if she was flummoxed. He almost felt like laughing out loud and rubbing it in her face. He finally had taken her by surprise; he shouldn't have been as excited as he was by it.

"Your boyfriend here is mighty sweet." The elder woman said as she took the arm Jace had extended to her. He widened his eyes but didn't move to correct her on her obvious mistake.

"Yeah, Ester, he is."

Jace felt his heart skip a beat at Clary's answering reply. He didn't look back to see the red spreading on her cheeks just as it was spreading across his own or the way she dropped her head as if embarrassed as Jace walked Ester toward her chair. She thanked him gratefully before taking the seat he pulled out for her.

"Do you use that mother/damsel excuse with everyone?" Clary said with a smile as Jace walked past. Remembering, just as he did, a night in the rain; where he was the only one on the road. The first day he had properly met her.

"Nah," He smirked at her. "Just with the special ones." He gave her a quick wink before walking back to his post and with a quick apology to the two stunned Lightwood siblings he went back to work.


So far he had learned that Clary knew a lot of people.

And a lot of people knew her.

She'd introduced him to everyone that worked there starting with all the chiefs: Lenny, Derek, Bobby and Becky; to the three dishwasher boys: Steven, Chris, and Tristan all of which had an extreme crush on Clary and Isabelle.

She knew the people that came in looking for a warm meal; he could hear her uttering their names and asking them how they were. He watched in awe and she fluttered about like a butterfly moving from table to table as if they were flowers needing pollination. Her smile seemed to brighten everyone's moods as she listened to their stories. She laughed, sighed, and frowned with them. Offering comfort in any way she could. She gathered trays and danced with children; she sang with the elderly and created amazing art with the teenagers.

She was beautiful.

She was absolutely and utterly beautiful.


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